The Baltimore Orioles are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland. They play in the American League East division. Since the institution of MLB's Rule 4 Draft, the Orioles have selected 58 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[1] the Rule 4 Draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[1] In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded compensatory or supplementary picks.[2]

Of the 58 players picked in the first round by Baltimore, 30 have been pitchers, the most of any position; 21 of them were right-handed, while 9 were left-handed. Eleven outfielders, eight shortstops, six catchers, two third basemen, and one second basemen were also taken. The team has never drafted a player at first base.[3] Sixteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of California, and Florida follows with five players.[3] The Orioles have also drafted two players from Canada, Ntema Ndungidi (1997) and Adam Loewen (2002).[3] The Orioles have not drafted any players from their home state of Maryland.[3]

The Orioles have made eleven selections in the supplemental round of the draft and six compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965.[3] These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the previous off-season,[2][8][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[9] The Orioles have failed to sign two of their first-round picks, Brad DuVall (1987) and Wade Townsend (2004). They received the 28th pick in 1988 and the 48th pick in 2005 for failing to sign DuVall and Townsend, respectively, as compensation.[3]

VFree agents are evaluated by the Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offers arbitration to a player but that player refuses and subsequently signs with another team, the original team may receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent leaves in this way his previous team receives a supplemental pick and a compensation pick from the team with which he signs. If a "Type B" free agent leaves in this way his previous team receives only a supplemental pick.[9]